You Tell Them
by nataliajayne
Summary: Claire's pregnant, they don't know how to tell the kids, or Mitch and Cam… or Jay. (set in season 2 (onwards) during different episodes.)
1. Halloween

_Set in season 2 (onwards) during different episodes._

 _Claire's pregnant, they don't know how to tell the kids, or Mitch and Cam… or Jay._

 **Chapter 1**

 _Halloween_

" _Okay so we recently found out that… I'm pregnant" Claire smiles grabbing Phil's hand_

" _Yeah, she took a test but we thought it best to go to a doctor because… she drinks, a lot" Phil yelps as she squeezes his hand "What you do?"_

" _Anyway" Claire interrupts "It was a complete shock and at first yeah I may have panicked" she sighs_

" _We totally panicked" Phil laughs_

" _Going to the doctor told us that I'm just over 12 weeks. I'm kind of surprised I didn't figure it out earlier. There's a teeny tiny bump, I thought I was bloated… sort of surprising I mean I was showing by now with the other three but we're both fine"_

" _It's still early, and this time you're olde…"_

" _Phil!" Claire gasps cutting him off causing him to frown guiltily_

 _They both sigh before turning back to the camera "Now it's finding a way to tell everyone else…"_

* * *

"Jerry is a no go on the crow" Phil calls walking through the front door

"You've been over there this whole time?" Claire asks, trying to sort out the fake spider webs

"Yeah, he needed to vent I couldn't leave" he smirks coming to stand directly behind her "God you are sexy" his foot slips as he steps up onto the ladder

"Sweetie I need to get down" Claire warns feeling the nausea creeping up her throat

"We can get down; we can get…" He feels his foot slip as she falls back into him. Phil wraps his arm protectively around her middle as they tumble to the ground, making sure Claire is on top of him, breaking her fall. "Oh god, Claire are you okay?" Phil gasps

Claire sits up gingerly, wincing as she rolls her ankle. Gripping Phil's hand she turns around to reassure him "I'm fine" raising her hand to cup his cheek she places a sweet kiss to his lips, resting her forehead against his. "I'm okay"

* * *

"What is wrong with everyone? Cam? Towns people, really?" Claire cries

Cam glares at her "I lived on a farm, they lived in town they were the towns people"

"And dad? Dad it goes lightning, thunder, fog cue" Claire stresses, her voice getting higher and higher

Jay rolls his eyes "This whole thing is a colossal fog cue"

"Claire just doesn't understand Cam, maybe she's never been picked on for beean differen" Gloria says in her, whatever accent it is that she is trying to do

"When Gloria? When have you ever been picked on for _beean differen"_ Claire imitates

Gloria waves her arms dramatically towards Jay "Ask the gargoyle"

"What is she saying?!" Claire whisper shouts to Phil as Gloria storms out of the room, Jay hot on her heels

"Think she went insane" Luke chimes in

"She's not insane, she's my mother" Manny defends

"I'm your mother now"

* * *

"You know what, I'm just gonna go" Cam announces, head still popping out of the table

"No come on Cam" Claire pleads

Alex pushes open her cage door "Uh if uncle Cam's leaving I'm just gonna go upstairs and study"

"Yeah I have a party to go to so…" Haley chimes in

"She punched me in the face" Mitchell cries walking back into the house, Gloria right behind him

"He came out of nowhere and scared the _baby Jesus_ out of me"

"Hey you're talking normal again" Jay smiles

"Uh Cam can we please just go" Mitchell winces as he lets go of his nose

"Yeah go, leave I don't care" Claire pouts

"Claire…"

She cuts Phil off "No I'm done" she knew she was being silly but she couldn't help it, stupid hormones.

"No wait no I'm not done, not done! Here's the thing we do fireworks at Christmas now because that's what they do in Columbia, I don't mind. Thanksgiving? That used to be me roasting the turkey until the gays took it over with whatever new turkey craze they saw on the cooking network and I'm fine with that too" Claire cries becoming hysterical

"All I ask is that you leave me Halloween, I know it's a crazy ass holiday for a grown woman to care about so much but it's _my_ crazy ass holiday! Mine" she can feel the tears stinging her eyes so she turns and walks out of the house before anyone can notice.

Phil casts a disapproving glance there way before following her out to the front garden where he finds her destroying the decorations. "Claire"

"No I'm done talking"

"Listen, I know I haven't helped you out today, but that Jerry and Judy thing hit me hard" Phil sighs

"That's why you've been such a nut today?"

"What if someday that's us?" he asks brow furrowing

"After the meltdown I just had in there? Honey, you're stuck with me" she smiles, eyes gleaming

"You promise?" he grins

She grabs onto his hands squeezing them tightly "I do" she leans in to kiss him when a couple more trick or treaters run past them

"We should just put out a bowl of candy and have a cocktail right?"

"Yeah" Phil smiles "Wait no"

* * *

 ** _Hey, this is my first Modern Family fanfic, i do have two other fan fiction accounts dedicated to Once Upon A Time and Nashville if anyone is interested. This chapter is pretty meh but just go with it!_**

 ** _Reviews are always most welcome :)_**


	2. Chirp

**Chapter 2**

 _Chirp_

"As if morning sickness isn't enough now I have a cold" Claire moans burying her head into Phil's chest. "After three kids I'm still calling it morning sickness" she sniffles "All day sickness"

"Want me to go make you some hot tea with honey?" He asks rubbing soothing circles on her back feeling her nod into his chest.

* * *

He's been gone too long, no doubt distracted by something else. Sliding out of bed she pulls on her robe and shuffles towards the stairs.

"What're you doing?"

"SSHH" Phil holds his hand up cutting her off "One of the smoke alarms is chirping, I need to figure out which one it is so I can change it"

"Well if anyone can figure it out its you" Claire smiles kissing him sweetly before blowing her nose, the tissue causing her nose to look a little like Rudolph's.

"I thought you were staying in bed?" he asks furrowing his brow

"No I've got too much to do with the bake sale I have to make those lady fingers and I've gotta go by the gym, I left my phone there yesterday" she mumbles, nose all stuffy

Phil smiles, brushing her hair away from her forehead "I'll do it, we're a team"

"Phil you don't have to do that… don't you have houses to show today?" she asks before using his sweater as a tissue, wiping her nose

Phil grimaces down at his sweater "They cancelled"

"Aw pumpkin" she leans in, reaching out to take his face between her hands but he dodges them.

"Are you crazy? Now I get to stay home and take care of you" grinning at her receiving a beaming smile back, before answering the door seeing Dylan on the other side

"Hey Mr and Mrs Dunphy, is Haley ready for school?"

"She'll be down in a minute, don't get to close to my wife" he warns referring to her cold

"Haley told you about that? It was just a dream" he defends

"Oh god" Claire gasps, Phil opens his mouth to say something when one of the smoke alarms chirp again

"Okay that came from the kitchen"

"I thought it came from in here" Dylan says, eyes searching the ceiling

"Really?" Phil sighs walking towards the kitchen "Okay well you wait in here and listen for it, I'm gonna wait in there"

"I mean it's the least I can do after well… you know" Dylan looks Claire up and down smiling slightly

Claire reaches behind her and grabs hold of Phil's hand "I'm coming with you"

* * *

"How ya doing typhoid Clairey?" Phil calls coming into their bedroom, Haley shuffling behind him

"Hey" Claire smiles ripping her eyes away from the TV, brows furrowing when she sees Haley back in her pyjamas. "What're you doing home?"

"She caught your cold, the school sent her home. I thought we should contain you two; keep it from spreading through the house" Haley walks around the bed as Claire lifts the comforter up for Haley to slide in next to her

"C'mere, I'm so sorry" Claire sighs reaching up to check Haley's temperature

"S'okay" Haley smiles tiredly getting comfy

"Hey, did you finish my lady fingers?" Claire looks hopefully up at Phil

"No not yet"

"Did you get my phone from the gym?" she pouts

"Not yet" he smiles tightly, turning his head when the smoke alarm makes itself known again

"Is that the smoke detector? I though you fixed that already? She asks, confusion written on her face

"You're really starting to sound like your old self" Phil comments smiling at her before leaving the room to go find that stupid detector, leaving Haley and Claire snuggled up in bed watching a soap opera

* * *

Haley's in the middle of gushing about Dylan when she sees her mother's face considerably pale, eyes widening. "Okay mom seriously? Dylan isn't that bad"

Ignoring Haley, Claire sits up slightly, willing for the nausea to pass. When that doesn't work she slowly gets out of bed, leaning over with both hands on the mattress breathing deeply.

"Mom?" Haley worries sitting up moving closer to Claire

She feels the familiar sensation of bile creep up her throat, covering her mouth she bolts towards the bathroom, Haley hot on her heels.

"Mom?" Haley winces turning her head as Claire throws up. "Dad?" she shouts over the banister, seeing Phil rush up the stairs, wearing an apron and oven mitts.

"What is it?"

"Moms sick" Haley points to the bathroom

Phil smiles soothingly at Haley "It's okay sweetie go back to bed, I've got your mom"

Phil knocks on the open bathroom door "Claire, honey?"

Claire lifts her head from the toilet bowl and leans back against the bathtub groaning. Phil flushes the toilet before passing her the mouthwash.

"Thank you" she murmurs, rinsing her mouth

Phil sits on the floor next to her, brushing the hair out of her face as she snuggles into him. "I hate this" she moans

"I know, it will get better" Phil soothes rubbing her back

"Feels like it never will"

Haley comes up the stairs with a glass of water, hearing their conversation, eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

* * *

Claire shuffles back into the bedroom, heading straight for the glass of water on the bedside table, rolling her eyes hearing Haley on the phone again. Crawling back in to bed, she leans back against the cushions finding a comfy position.

"Okay we really have to hang up this time. On the count of three, 1,2,3 ... Hello? I can't believe he hung up! I'm calling him back"

"Give me that" Claire grabs the phone throwing it on the end of the bed

"You okay?" Haley asks, seeing the slight color come back to her cheeks

"Yeah I'm fine honey"

Haley smiles at her before turning back to the TV "Oh my god is that Jesse?"

"Uh huh, and he's still married to Angie... You know something else you might find interesting, Sonya is drinking because she married a buffoon when she was younger and now she realizes she's wasted her entire life"

Haley glances down, thoughts going back to the conversation she heard in the bathroom.

"Could you imagine making a mistake like that?"

"Yeah that must be... Horrible" Haley nods looking her mom up and down

"Yeah now she's just a bitter ghost of a woman filled with resentment. But that's what happens when you commit to someone before you see what else is out there" she looks pointedly at Haley who sits twiddling her fingers.

 _"She couldn't have laid it on thicker, ghost of a woman? Total buffoon? I'm not an idiot... She was talking about her and my dad"_

"Yeah well maybe Sonya and her husband just need to work a little harder" Haley argues

"Can he give her those years back? She could have been something she could have travelled the world, been with fascinating men. She could have accomplished things... That's all she thinks about now, every time she looks at him" Claire smirks as she sees Haley stare off into space thinking she'd got to her

* * *

Phil places the tupperware on the counter, reaching for a lady finger, burning his own fingers in the process "Ow"

"Is that moms apron?" Luke asks

Phil goes to speak when the annoying chirp of the smoke detectors butts in. "It's an apron, it's unisex" They both look to the ceiling hearing the familiar annoying chirp again.

"That's happening more and more" Luke comments

"Hadn't noticed" Phil brushes off, filling the tub with the cookies. His phone rings and he smiles at Luke before answering "Hey, thanks for calling back, yeah I was just about to..." turning his back to Luke he lets out a sigh "I see well is there anything I can say that will... Alright well thank you very much, okay, goodbye" closing his eyes, head hung in defeat"

"Did you lose another one?"

"Hey, can't lose something you never had right pal" Phil quips, head shooting up to glare at the ceiling

"That was the doorbell dad"

"Yeah, I know" Phil covers, walking out of the kitchen, Luke trailing behind him

"So what happens if people stop buying houses?" He asks "Are we all gonna have to get jobs?"

"Just a little slum buddy, nothing I can't handle" Phil winks before answering the door as Luke runs back into the kitchen for more lady fingers

"Hi I'm Ron, I work out with Claire at the gym"

"Oh yeah come in" Phil smiles

"I brought her phone back, she forgot it yesterday"

"Thanks, I'm Phil Claire's husband"

"Oh right, congratulations by the way..." Ron trails off as they both glance up, searching for the annoying chirp

"Nice to meet you" he offers his hand which Phil shakes

"You too" he laughs nervously as the smoke detectors beep again

* * *

"But maybe Sonya didn't make a mistake maybe she just met her soulmate when she was young" Haley shrugs

"No" Claire sighs shaking her head "No no no that never happens, she threw her life away and now she wants out"

"Okay let's cut the crap, we're not talking about some character in a soap opera here are we?" Haley eyes her mom

"No, no we're not" Claire sighs "Honey I'm sorry I don't wanna hurt your feelings but I've been feeling this way for a long time, can we be honest with each other?" she asks seeing Haley nod "He's kind of a dufus"

"I guess" she shrugs "But I thought that's what you liked about him?"

"Uh huh" Claire grimaces "No I never did, believe me honey there are many better options out there"

"Like who?" Haley asks, face masked with confusion

"I dunno" Claire shrugs "Off the top of my head uhh, how about the cute pizza delivery guy?

"He's like 18" Haley gasps

"So?" Claire shrugs

"Don't mind me ladies" Phil says coming into the bedroom heading straight for the chair to bring over to the door to check the last smoke detector

"Hey dad, I found somewhere online where I can sell this organ. Can you drive me to the black market?" Luke asks from the doorway holding a keyboard

"Think they mean a different kind of organ buddy"

"Sweetie why are you trying to sell that?" Claire calls

"In case things with dads job get even worse" Luke sighs

"Honestly" Phil huffs carrying the chair back "I don't know why everyone's making such a fuss, everything's fine" his smile drops hearing the familiar taunting chirping noise "IT MAKES NO SENSE! I've changed every single one"

"I'm gonna call my dad" Claire reaches for her phone but Phil cuts her off

"No we're not calling anyone. I can handle this just need the old burglar basher" he says reaching under the bed

"Is that your old college cheerleading baton?

"Not when you're on the business end of it" he grits before whacking the smoke detector with it. "Guess that one won't be chirping any more" he says with a crazy smile before heading out the room

"Go after him" Haley urges

"Oh no he just needs to blow off some steam" Claire brushes off

 _"How's that for battery"_

Haley's eyes widen before turning back to her mother _._ "Mom like it or not you made a commitment and maybe that doesn't mean anything to you anymore but you owe it to this family to save your marriage and give it one more try"

Claire furrows her brow in confusion "What?" eyes whipping to the door as she hears Phil call out

 _"End of the line smoky joe"_

"Dad may be a dufus but he is ten times better than any delivery boy. Go to him"

"Wha, did you..." Claire trails off hearing Phil smashing up more smoke detectors "Okay" getting out of bed she rushes out of the room "Honey"

She spots Phil as he comes out of Luke's room "Thought I forgot about you didn't ya, nope" Phil raises the baton but Claire grabs hold of it, taking it from him

"Phil no, stop"

"I gotta stop the damn chirping" Phil frets

"This isn't about the noise, sweetie, you're having a bad day" she soothes

"At the end of a bad month" Phil sighs in defeat

"I know" she whispers

"You know how scary that is Claire? Especially with..." He trails off glancing down at her stomach

"No" she takes his hand "No I don't because you never tell me the bad stuff, you only share all the good stuff. Honey what happened to us being a team? Right? We're supposed to lean on each other. Honey I have faith in you" she smiles, rising up on her tippy toes to kiss him softly, wrapping her arms around him

He sniffles and she smiles into his neck "Must be getting your cold"

"Mhmm" she smiles squeezing him tighter.

* * *

"Oh that must be the pizza" Claire says, hearing the doorbell

"Pizza? You ordered pizza? Haley asks watching her mom

"Yeah" Claire says walking over to her purse

"But we had pizza the other night"

"I know but I had an urge, when you get an urge you get an urge" Claire shrugs trying to play off her pregnancy cravings

Haley hops off the stool and goes to take the cash out of Claire's hand. "I'll get it"

"I can get it" Claire smiles going to take the money back

"No let me do this for you, you're always doing stuff for us" Haley calls as she leaves the kitchen

"Okay? Don't forget the change"

Haley opens the door, squinting her eyes at the delivery boy "Here" she throws the money on the box for him to take before taking the pizza. "And i think its best if you don't come around here anymore"


	3. Caught In The Act

**Chapter 3**

 _Caught in the Act_

Phil cracks his eyes open at the sound of someone calling his name to see Claire, resting her chin on her hand looking up at him. "Claire? Is something wrong?"

Claire smiles mischievously, trailing her finger up and down his chest "No"

"What're you doing?" Phil smiles

"Well it's our anniversary and we have a while before the kids will be up"

"I like the way you think woman" Phil smiles mischievously, flipping them over trapping Claire beneath him

* * *

" _It's our parents anniversary, so we're surprising them with breakfast in bed" Alex smiles_

" _They're impossible to buy for" Haley states rolling her eyes "We think… we never really tried"_

"Why can't I carry the tray?" Luke asks as they walk up the stairs

"Because you'll drop it" Haley quips

"Okay ready?" Alex smirks as Haley nods at Luke to open the door

"SURPRISE OH MY GOD" Haley screams dropping the tray, hearing the screams of Alex and Luke, covering their eyes running out of the room

" _Yeah… our kids walked in on us. We were... as they say having sex" Phil sighs_

" _It's not a euphemism Phil that's exactly what we were doing. Having sex, in front of our children" Claire cringes_

" _They weren't there when we started. Actually you weren't there when we started…" Phil trails off_

* * *

"I can still see it" Alex grimaces, splashing water in her eyes

"I can't believe that just happened" Haley shudders pacing back and forth

"What were they doing?" Luke asks

"Nothing" Alex cries rubbing her eyes, trying to get the images to disappear

"It, they were doing IT" Haley cringes

"He has no idea what you're talking about"

"Sex?"

"Yes" Haley squeaks

"I know what sex is Alex" Luke defends "It's where a man and a woman take off their underwear and…"

"Stop talking" Alex cries and Haley covers her ears

* * *

"We need a game plan. We need to rehearse everything were going to say because that's the only way I'm going to be able to hold it together when my babies are looking at me with judgement and disgust" Claire cries

"First of all, that's how they always look at us." Phil states calmly, eating their ruined breakfast off the floor "Well except that one" Phil points to Claire's stomach

"Phil"

"Secondly, this isn't as traumatic as you think. Honey this is only big deal if we make it a big deal, so let's just play it cool, crack a few jokes, lighten the mood" Phil suggests

"Jokes?" Claire ponders

* * *

After escaping the house for a while and deciding that their parents doing _it_ is better than them fighting or being divorced, Haley's bright idea to smile, nod and think about something else whilst Claire and Phil talk to them about what happened, was harder than it seemed.

"We're sorry about what happened" Claire sighs

"Well, we're not sorry about what happened, we're sorry that you saw what happened" Phil shrugs

"I think they get that" Claire grimaces "So I, I guess that what I'm saying here is that as you get older and explore your sexuality you'll discover that as long as you're in a committed relationship with consenting adults then there's really nothing to be embarrassed about"

"And let's face it your mom can't keep her hands off me whenever the gun show comes to town" Phil jokes

"Good one dad" Luke laughs

"Humor makes difficult situations easier" Alex fake smiles

Claire smiles at them surprised "Wow really"

"Totally" Haley smiles "You talked to us on our level without being condescending"

"We did" Claire agrees

"Alright! I guess we did" Phil states proudly

"Yay us" Claire grins high-fiving Phil before he brings her in for a hug. "This is such a weird day. By the way, happy anniversary" she smiles pulling away to look into his eyes

"It always is" Phil smiles leaning down to kiss her

"Hey mom can I get… Oh my god enough!" Haley exclaims walking back in to the room

"It's not our fault it's your moms out of whack hormones" Phil defends as Claire's eyes widen. Lowering her head, she covers her face with her hand.

Alex walks back into the living room watching her parents suspiciously, Luke trailing behind her trying to fit an apple in his mouth. "Why would mom have out of whack hormones? She's not old enough to be going through… Oh my god"

"What?" Luke tries to ask around a mouthful of apple "Is mom dying?" he asks, eyes franticly dancing between everyone in the room

"No" Claire and Phil shout

"Is anyone dying?" Haley asks confused

"Oh my god" Alex mutters rolling her eyes in exasperation "She's pregnant"

"What?" Haley gasps "You're pregnant?"

"Yes" Claire answers, sounding almost like a question, grabbing hold of Phil's hand

"I'm going to be a big brother?" Luke asks eyeing the two. Claire nods, nervously squeezing Phil's hand as she looks between her three children

"This is great" Haley beams walking over to hug her mom

"R.. Really?" Claire asks surprised, hugging Haley back

"Of course" Alex smiles joining in the hug

"Oh and we almost forgot" Haley retrieves a gift bag from behind the couch holding it out to her mom and dad

"What's this?" Claire smiles

"Your anniversary present"

"Aw how sweet, what is it?" Claire asks Phil who takes the gift out of the bag "A door lock… thank you"

Phil smiles at the kids "We'll use it all the time"


	4. Princess Party

_(p.s in this chapter DeDe did invite Robbie to dinner I've just not written it in)_

 **Chapter 4**

 _Princess Party_

Phil puts the cheese back into the refrigerator, grabbing a coffee cup off the side when he notices Claire stood with her back to the sink with her eyes closed "What are you doing?"

"Breathing" Claire sighs, eyes still closed breathing deeply, in and out, in and out.

"Aren't you always?" Phil asks coming to stand in front of her, tucking her gold locks behind her ear

"She's going to stress me out" Claire groans opening her eyes to see Phil looking confused. "My mother, she's going to come in here and pick pick pick at me and I can't let her affect me, stress is bad" she explains

"Honey, you can do this, it's just one weekend. If she really starts to get to you, take a deep breath and leave the room, or squeeze my hand, whichever works" Phil smiles lovingly

Claire lets out a breathy laugh letting herself calm down a bit.

"Okay?" Phil asks seeing her nod, pressing a light kiss to her forehead before leaving the kitchen "Okay, I'm gonna go get changed and check on the kids then pick up your mom from the airport"

"Good luck" Claire calls

* * *

"This is so unfair you told me I could go" Haley whines

"I told you you could go _if_ you got a B on your history exam, which you didn't" Claire calls walking down the stairs

"I have a learning disability; the words jump around on the page and appear backwards" Haley defends

Claire narrows her eyes "Honey we had you tested like six times, trust me I was praying for dyslexia"

Haley glares at her mom before she disappears into the kitchen "Oh my god why can't you let me have any fun…" she screams as Phil places his hand over her mouth, pulling her into the bedroom. Haley scrunches her nose up in disgust "Ew ew dad gross your hand smells like cheese"

"I didn't want to dirty a knife" Phil defends closing the bedroom door as Haley sits on the bed joining Alex and Luke

"Okay so we all know that when your nana DeDe comes to visit your mom can get a little…"

"Psycho" Haley interrupts

"Scary" Luke adds

"And this time she can't even get drunk" Alex points out

"… All true" Phil sighs "Therefore I need you guys to be on your best behaviour"

"Don't worry I'll keep to myself, I have to practice for my cello recital" Alex smiles whilst everyone else groans

"Fine you know what if it keeps you out of your moms hair sure do that. And remember guys, what _don't_ we mention to nana?" Phil asks

"Anything about the baby" all three kids say simultaneously

* * *

"Hey mom, dad and nana just pulled in" Luke calls making Claire visibly tense

Taking deep breathes she tries to compose herself _"It's just for this weekend Claire, she'll be gone before you know it"_

"Ah, oh wow" Claire jumps not realising her mother was stood right behind her

"Claire Bear" DeDe coos taking Claire into her arms "My sweet girl, I forget that your all grown up you know in my mind your still 12 but look at us, just two old ladies"

Claire lets out a nervous laugh before being pulled into another bone crushing hug.

* * *

"So you'll never guess who I saw at the airport"

"Who's that?" Claire asks whilst opening a wine bottle

"Robbie Sullivan" DeDe smirks

"My Robbie Sullivan? From high school?" Claire grabs a glass filling it up half way "Oh my god I haven't seen him in years"

"Decades really" DeDe corrects "Oh honey can I have that, it was a long flight" DeDe complains taking the wine glass out of Claire's hand

"Wait mom…"

Claire freezes as DeDe brings the glass to her lips, twiddling her fingers nervously as she watches her mom take a sip.

"This is apple juice? Claire why do you have apple juice in a wine bottle?"

Claire's face pales "I… I um…"

"It's mine" Haley covers, walking into the kitchen

"Really?" Dede asks raising her eyebrow in disbelief

"Yeah, I'm too young to drink but at dinner, I don't know I guess it makes me feel more grown up… and stuff" Haley rambles

"To pour apple juice out of a wine bottle?"

"Mmhm" Haley nods, her lips curving into a smile when Dede shrugs her shoulders

"Alright then" she laughs, handing Haley the glass before leaving the kitchen

* * *

"Hi sweetie" Claire welcomes, kissing Mitchell's cheek, scanning the many faces at the party "So where is she? Where is mom?"

"Yeah let's get the weirdness over with" Jay sighs, Gloria hanging off his arm

"I thought she was coming with you?" Mitchell asks

"Oh no no, I haven't seen mom since oh let's see, since she made out with my ex-boyfriend last night" Claire grimaces

"No my god" Mitchell gasps

"Yeaaah" Claire cringes "And then, she took off with him, didn't come back to the house until after I was asleep and then this morning left a cute little note that said _having breakfast with Robbie_ "

"What the hell is she doing he's half her age" Jay frets before seeing the raised eyebrows of Claire and Mitchell "Don't say it"

"I think it's beautiful, love has no age, what's meant to be is meant to be that is the question" Gloria rambles

"Dad what's going on with her?"

"She was a little nervous about your mother being here so she tried her first Xanax… and washed it down with a shot of tequila" Jay informs

"I, look at the princess so beautiful" Gloria grins

"Really?" Cam scowls "Because I don't see it"

* * *

Mitchell sees his mother walking into the garden, linking arms with Robbie. "I can't believe it, she brought him to the party" Mitchell whisper shouts turning Claire around in the direction of their mother

"Oh my god, I'm gonna kill her" Claire goes to make her way over to them but is dragged back by Mitchell

"Stop no not now, the last thing I need is a big scene Claire"

"You know she's doing this just to torture me" Claire sighs sending a disapproving look her mothers way

"Oh no she's doing this to get back at me because I didn't let her stay with us" Mitchell argues

"You're both wrong" Jay interrupts "It's about me, I got the young girl, she has to get the young guy"

* * *

Mitchell hurries over to Claire and DeDe as their voices get higher and higher. "Not now, not now. Stop please"

"She accused me of trying to steal my old boyfriend from her" Claire defends

"Okay fine but make it quick" Mitchell mumbles taking a step back

Claire glares at her mother, feeling her eyes water and hands begin to shake from frustration "Why does everything have to be so hard with you? Why can't you just be a normal old grandma? It's like some sort of sick game for you, you just push people and push people to see how far you can push them until finally, look at me you win, you win! I'm screaming at a princess party mom, I'm screaming at a princess party"

"Claire, Claire!" Phil interrupts placing his hand over her mouth before dragging her away to go stand by the bench. Claire scrunches her eyes closed and takes a deep breath trying to calm herself down when she feels a hand grasp hers. Opening her eyes she looks down to see Haley smiling softly at her pulling her down to sit on the bench next to her.

"Breathe mom" Haley instructs as she feels Claire tighten her grip on her hand

"I can't" Claire whispers bringing her other hand to her chest

Phil sees the others are controlling the DeDe situation so turns around to find Claire, spotting Haley looking at him with wide eyes. Within a couple of steps Phil reaches them, crouching down in front of Claire, taking both of her hands in his, squeezing them gently.

"Honey? Claire? Look at me" Phil calls softly, smiling when her eyes focus on his "Breathe"

Claire shakes her head "I think I'm having a panic attack"

Phil senses someone stood next to him and turns to see Cam and Mitchell staring at Claire in concern. Taking her hand he pulls her up and guides her into the house. Cam and Mitch zero in on Haley.

"Is she okay?

"What's going on?"

"I know our mom stresses her out but it's never gotten that bad"

Haley stares at them blankly "I uh, she… she wasn't feeling well last night it must be a 24 hour bug thingy"

"Oh I hope she hasn't been near Lily yet I don't want her to get sick" Cam whines, stalking off take Lily from Alex, Mitchell hot on his heels.

* * *

Phil leads Claire into the living room, sitting her down on the couch. "Are you okay? Do you need something? Let me go get you some water" he frets standing up to leave when Claire tugs on his hand, pulling him down to sit next to her.

"Just stay here" she whispers squeezing his hand whilst resting her head on his shoulder

"Okay" Phil smiles, leaning back on the couch, pulling her backwards as she curls into him, laying her head on his chest. She listens to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat and feels the calm wash over her as he runs his fingers through her hair. She'll deal with her mother later if her father hasn't already, for now, here's good.


End file.
